Method of testing semiconductor device and test apparatus for the same

ABSTRACT

A tape carrier includes an elongated electrically insulating tape divided into a plurality of separable tape sections. A semiconductor chip is mounted at each of a plurality of semiconductor device mounting portions having a plurality of leads on each of the tape sections. The semiconductor chips are connected to the respective leads. A plurality of testing connection terminals on each of the tape sections are connected to respective testing connection terminals by testing wires.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 08/030,875, filed Mar. 12,1993, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a tape carrier for use in a tape carrierpackage (TCP). This invention also relates to a testing method and atest apparatus for semiconductor devices mounted on the tape carrier.

FIG. 9 illustrates one example of a conventional tape carrier formounting semiconductor devices. In FIG. 9, the conventional tape carrier1 has mounted thereon a plurality of semiconductor devices 2 disposed atregular intervals. The tape carrier 1 is mounted on a reel 3.Perforations 4 are formed along both sides of the tape carrier 1 at thesame intervals as that of the semiconductor devices 2. Duringmanufacture and test, the semiconductor devices 2 mounted on the tapecarrier 1 are fed and held in place by sproket wheels (not shown)engaging the perforations 4. FIG. 10 is an enlarged top plan view of thesemiconductor devices 2 mounted on the tape carrier 1. At a centerportion of each of the semiconductor devices 2, a semiconductor chip 6is mounted. A plurarity of leads 7 extend outwardly from each of thesemiconductor devices 2. The leads 7 are electrically connected to theouter terminals 5 which are mounted on both sides of the eachsemiconductor device 2.

When it is desired to carry out a burn-in test, each of thesemiconductor devices 2 mounted on the conventional tape carrier 1, asillustrated in FIG. 10, is individually cut off from the tape carrier 1into separate semiconductor devices 2 as illustrated in FIG. 11 and eachof the semiconductor devices 2 is inserted into a socket 8 which has aplurality of socket terminals 9 disposed correspondingly to the outerterminals 5 of the semiconductor device 2. After the semiconductordevice 2 is inserted into the socket 8, the outer terminals 5 and thesocket terminals 9 are electrically connected. FIG. 13 illustrates atesting board 10 which is used in a test such as a burn-in test. Asillustrated in FIG. 13, a number of carrier sockets 11 are disposedwithin the testing board 10. A board terminal 12 is attached to one sideof the testing board 10 and is connected to terminals (not shown)disposed within the carrier sockets 11 by wires mounted within thetesting board 10.

When the sockets 8 into which the semiconductor devices 2 are insertedare put in the carrier sockets 11 of the testing board 10, the outerterminals 5 of the semiconductor devices 2 are electrically connected tothe board terminal 12 by the socket terminals 9 and the terminals (notshown) within the carrier socket 11. After the testing board 10 is putin a constant temperature tank such as a burn-in tank (See FIG. 4), theboard terminal 12 is set in the board connector (not shown) disposedwithin the constant temperature tank for a burn-in test of thesemiconductor device 2. A burn-in test is a reliability test in which asemiconductor device 2 has applied to it a voltage under a hightemperature (as an environment stress) for a specified number of testinghours, to detect a potential failure in a semiconductor device 2 as aresult of manufacturing to prevent an early failure after shipping orforwarding. After the burn-in test, each of the semiconductor devices 2is taken out from the testing board 10 and the sockets 8.

In the conventional tape carrier 1 and semiconductor device 2constructed as described above, in the burn-in test process, thesemiconductor devices 2 must be cut individually from the tape carrier 1and put in the sockets 8, the sockets 8 are further put in the carriersockets 11 within the testing board 10 and the testing board 10 is putin the burn-in tank for the burn-in test. Therefore, many processes suchas, for example, cutting out, putting in the sockets and putting in thetesting board, and taking out from the testing board and the sockets areneeded. Further, a lot of sockets 8 and the testing board 10 arerequired. In the final test of the semiconductor device 2 after theburn-in test, the semiconductor devices 2 must be treated individuallyand tested separately. Therefore, productivity is low and costs arehigh.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a tapecarrier free from the above-discussed problems of the conventional tapecarrier.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape carrierhaving a plurality of separable tape sections each holding a pluralityof semiconductor devices thereon during all testing processes, forexample, from a burn-in test to a separate final test.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method fortesting semiconductor devices in which testing wires of each of thesemiconductor devices that failed the test can be disconnected beforethe subsequent test.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductordevice test apparatus in which the individual semiconductor devices arenot required to be separated from each other and in which a plurality ofsemiconductor devices on the tape sections can be tested together.

With the above objects in view, the tape carrier of the presentinvention comprises an elongated electrically insulating tape dividedinto a plurality of separable tape sections including a plurality ofsemiconductor device mounting portions. The semiconductor devicemounting portions each have a plurality of leads for electricalconnection to a semiconductor chip. A plurality of testing connectionterminals are disposed on each of the tape sections along at least oneof the outer edges thereof. Further, a plurality of testing wires aredisposed on each of the tape sections, and all of the leads areconnected to the testing connection terminals by the testing wires.

A plurality of perforations are formed along both sides of the elongatedtape for feeding and positioning the tape carrier. During the testingprocess, a positioning pin attached to a support device in asemiconductor device test apparatus is inserted into the perforations toposition and hold the tape carrier in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmental top plan view of an embodiment of the tapecarrier of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the tape section cut from the elongatedtape carrier illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmental top plan view of testing wires on eachof the tape sections illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of the semiconductor device burn-intest apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the supporting device of the test apparatusillustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of the supporting device illustrated inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line VII--VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the tape carrier ofthe present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a conventional tape carrier;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmental top view of the conventional tapecarrier illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a conventional semiconductor device cutfrom the tape carrier illustrated in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a conventional semiconductor device put ina socket; and

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a conventional testing board.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a tape carrier 21 of the present invention, whichcomprises an elongated electrically insulating tape 20 divided into aplurality of separable tape sections 21a along each of lines II--II. Aplurality of semiconductor device mounting portions 2b are formed oneach of the tape sections 21a and each tape selection has a plurality ofleads 7 for electrical connection to a semiconductor chip 6. A pluralityof testing connection terminals 22 are present on each of the tapesections 21a along one of outer edges thereof. A plurality of testingwires 23 are present on each of the tape sections 21a. (In FIG. 1, onlysome of the testing wires 23 are illustrated.) Each of the leads 7 isconnected to one of the testing connection terminals 22 through thetesting wires 23. The semiconductor device mounting portions 2b aredisposed at regular intervals. Between each of the tape sections 21a,there are, however, specified intervals for cutting along phantom linesII--II. As illustrated in FIG. 1, a semiconductor chip 6 is mounted oneach of the semiconductor device mounting portions 2b. Each of thesemiconductor chips 6 and the leads 7 are electrically connected to eachother as the semiconductor device 2. Further, a plurality ofperforations 4 are present at regular intervals corresponding to thesemiconductor devices 2 along both sides of the elongated tape 20 forfeeding and positioning the tape carrier 21 during manufacturing andtesting.

FIG. 2 illustrates one of the tape sections 21a which is formed bycutting the elongated tape carrier 21 along each of the phantom linesII--II in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, intervals between the testing wires 23 andthe testing connection terminals 22 are illustrated in larger scale toclearly illustrate the electrical construction of the tape section 21aof the present invention. So, the width of the tape section 21a isillustrated as fairly wider. In practice, the testing wires 23 and thetesting connection terminals 22 etc. are mounted compactly andaccurately, so that the ratio of the width of the tape section 21a toits length is at most that illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIG.2, on each of the tape sections 21a, the semiconductor device mountingportions 2b are disposed and the semiconductor chips 6 are mounted onthe center portions of respective semiconductor device mounting portions2b. The outer terminals 5 are mounted on and aligned upon both sides ofeach of the semiconductor device mounting portions 2b. The semiconductorchip 6 and the surrounding outer terminals 5 are connected by the leads7 to form the semiconductor device 2. The testing connection terminals22 are disposed in two rows along one of outer edges of the tape section21a in the width direction. The testing connection terminals 22 areelectrically connected to the respective outer terminals 5 of thesemiconductor device 2 by the testing wires 23.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmental top plan view of the testing wires 23formed on the tape section 21a. There are input outer terminals 5a andoutput outer terminals 5b among the outer terminals 5. As illustrated inFIG. 3, the input outer terminals 5a and the power sources (not shown)for a plurality of the semiconductor devices 2 are connected in commonto the respective testing connection terminals 22 by the respectivecommon testing wires 23a. The output outer terminals 5b are separatelyelectrically connected to the respective testing connection terminals 22by the respective testing wires 23. Thus, each of the outer terminals 5is connected to one of the testing connection terminals 22, so that thesemiconductor devices 2 need not be individually cut out and they can betested one by one through the testing connection terminals 22 in severalfinal tests while mounted on the tape sections 21a.

When any of the semiconductor devices 2 fails a pre-test and is rejectedbefore the burn-in test, the testing wires 23 for the devices 2 to berejected are disconnected by, for example, cutting out tape material ina slender rectangle enclosed by a phantom line 24 of FIG. 3 togetherwith the testing wires 23 thereon. This prevents the rejectedsemiconductor device 2 from burning in a burn-in tank 30 (See FIG. 4) inresponse to a voltage applied during the burn-in test.

FIG. 4 illustrates the semiconductor device test apparatus of thepresent invention. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the semiconductor devicetest apparatus comprises a constant temperature tank 30 such as aburn-in tank and a tester 31 such as a burn-in tester installed outsideof the constant temperature tank 30. A beam 33 is attached to the upperpart in the constant temperature tank 30. Supporting devices 32 areattached to the beam 33 in a line and are suspended therefrom. Thesupporting device 32 has a contactor device 37 (See FIG. 5) mountedthereon for making electrical contact with all of the testing connectionterminals 22. During the burn-in test, each of the tape sections 21a issupported and hung by the supporting devices 32 at a portion near thetesting connection terminals 22 thereof within the constant temperaturetank 30. The semiconductor devices 2 are tested by applying a voltage ata high temperature such as 125° for a specified number of testing hours,for example, for 20˜24 hours while being held on the tape sections 21a,thereby to detect a potential failure in the semiconductor devices 2which as a result of a process of manufacturing.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the support device 32 and FIG. 6 shows itsfront view. The support device 32 comprises a supporting base 34 forsupporting the tape section 21a at the portion near the testingconnection terminals 22 thereof, a swinging holder 35 hinged to thesupporting base 34 at a fastening means 35a such as a screw and thecontactor device 37 mounted thereon. Further, as also illustrated inFIG. 6, positioning pins 36 are attached to the lower edge of thesupporting base 34 at both sides.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line VII--VII in FIG. 5. Asillustrated in FIG. 7, the contactor device 37 includes a plurality ofcontact elements which are embedded in the supporting base 34 incorrespondence with the testing connection terminals 22. The contactordevice 37 is electrically connected to the burn-in tester 31 by wires(not shown) extending along the beam 33.

The testing operation is as follows. After the semiconductor chips 6 aremounted on each of the semiconductor device mounting portions 2b on thetape carrier 21, the elongated tape carrier 21 is cut along each of thephantom lines II--II in FIG. 1 into the tape sections 21a illustrated inFIG. 2. The semiconductor devices 2 mounted on the tape sections 21a arepre-tested through the testing connection terminals 22 mounted along theouter edge of the tape section 21a. A semiconductor device 2 rejectedaccording to the pre-test result has the testing wires 23 connected tothe semiconductor device 2 disconnected by removing the testing wires 23together with tape material in a slender rectangle enclosed by thephantom line 24 to prevent the rejected semiconductor devices 2 fromburning in the burn-in tank 30 illustrated in FIG. 4 upon application ofa voltage.

Next, each of the tape sections 21a is held between the supporting base34 and the swinging holder 35, of the supporting device 32, at a portionnear the testing connection terminals 22 thereof. Further, thepositioning pins 36 attached to the supporting base 34 are put in theperforations 4 near the testing connection terminals 22 on both sides ofthe long edges of the tape section 21a. Thus, each of the tape sections21a is supported by the supporting devices 32 and hung from the beam 33.As illustrated in FIG. 7, since the contactor elements of the contactor37 are disposed in the supporting base 34 at the same intervals as thetesting connection terminals 22 mounted on the tape section 21a, thecontactor device 37 and the testing connection terminals 22 areelectrically connected by being pressed down by the holder 35. Thecontactor device 37 is connected to the burn-in tester 31 through thewires which are disposed in the beam 33. Each of the semiconductordevices 2 is subjected to the burn-in test through the testingconnection terminals 22 and the contactor device 37 by the burn-intester 31 at a specified temperature and a voltage while beingmaintained on the tape sections 21a. After the burn-in test, a finaltest may be applied to each of the semiconductor devices 2 separately.As all of the outer terminals 5 of the semiconductor device 2 areconnected to the testing connection terminals 22, each of thesemiconductor devices 2 can be tested by a testing means such as a pincontactor (not shown) while being attached on the tape sections 21a.After the final test, the semiconductor devices 2 are individually cutout from the tape section 21a along a dashed line 25 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the tape section of the tapecarrier of the present invention, which has basically the same structureas that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 but is different in one point. Thestructure of the semiconductor device 2 is completely the same. Thedifferent structure is the mounting position of testing connectionterminals 42. The testing connection terminals 42 are mounted along oneof the longer outer edges 46 of the tape section 21b for each of thesemiconductor devices 2. The testing connection terminals 42 areelectrically connected to the outer terminals 5 of the semiconductordevice 2 through the testing wires 43 on the tape section 21b. Since themounting position of the testing connection terminals 42 is different,the wirings of the testing wires 43 are also different from thatillustrated in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, each of the testingconnection terminals 42 is connected to the respective one of the outerterminals 5 in a one-to-one relationship.

In this embodiment, similarly to the above embodiment, the semiconductordevices 2 rejected according to a test result can be disconnected byremoving testing wires 43 together with tape material in a rectangle 44.

As the testing connection terminals 42 are disposed along the longerouter edge of the tape section 21b in this embodiment, each of the tapesections 21b is supported at a portion near the testing connectionterminals 42 and hung by a supporting device (not shown), which may havethe same structure as that of the supporting device 32 illustrated inFIG. 5, within the burn-in tank 30 illustrated in FIG. 4.

If it is desired, the testing connection terminals 22 or 42 may beformed along both outer edges of the tape section 21a or 21b. In thatcase, two contactor devices similar to the contactor device 37 areneeded for electrically contacting the testing connection terminals 22or 42 mounted at two portions.

The tape carrier and the semiconductor device test apparatus of thepresent invention may also be applied in other tests such as a monitoredburn-in test in which the semiconductor device operation is monitoredwhile the semiconductor device is in a constant temperature tank under aload.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for testing a semiconductor devicecomprising:preparing a tape carrier comprising an elongated electricallyinsulating tape divided into a plurality of separable tape sections,each tape section including a plurality of outer edges and a pluralityof semiconductor device mounting portions, each mounting portion havinga plurality of leads for electrical connection to a semiconductor chipmounted at the respective mounting portion, a plurality of testingconnection terminals on each of said tape sections disposed along asingle one of the outer edges of the respective tape section, and aplurality of testing wires directly connecting said leads to respectivetesting connection terminals; mounting a semiconductor chip on each ofsaid semiconductor device mounting portions of one of said tapesections; connecting each semiconductor chip on a tape section to therespective leads of said tape section to form a semiconductor device;cutting said elongated tape carrier, separating said tape section fromsaid elongated tape carrier; and testing each of said semiconductorchips mounted on said tape section through said testing connectionterminals at the single outer edge of said tape section.
 2. A method fortesting a semiconductor device comprising:preparing a tape carriercomprising an elongated electrically insulating tape divided into aplurality of separable tape sections, each tape section including aplurality of outer edges and a plurality of semiconductor devicemounting portions, each mounting portion having a plurality of leads forelectrical connection to a semiconductor chip mounted at the respectivemounting portion, a plurality of testing connection terminals on each ofsaid tape sections disposed along a single one of the outer edges of therespective tape section, and a plurality of testing wires directlyconnecting said leads to respective testing connection terminals;mounting a semiconductor chip on each of said semiconductor devicemounting portions of one of said tape sections; connecting eachsemiconductor chip on a tape section to the respective leads of saidtape section to form a semiconductor device; cutting said elongated tapecarrier, separating said tape section from said elongated tape carrier;testing each of said semiconductor chips mounted on said tape sectionthrough said testing connection terminals at the single outer edge ofsaid tape section; disconnecting testing wires connected to each of saidsemiconductor chips on said tape section that is rejected in testing;and burn-in testing each of said semiconductor chips mounted on saidtape section through said testing connection terminals on the singleouter edge of said tape section while holding said semiconductor chipson said tape section at a specified temperature.
 3. A semiconductordevice test apparatus for testing a semiconductor device mounted on atape carrier, the tape carrier comprising an elongated electricallyinsulating tape divided into a plurality of separable tape sections,each tape section having a plurality of outer edges, a plurality ofsemiconductor device mounting portions, each mounting portion having aplurality of leads for electrical connection to a semiconductor chipmounted at the respective mounting portion, a plurality of testingconnection terminals disposed along a single one of the outer edges ofthe tape section, and a plurality of testing wires directly connectingthe leads to respective testing connection terminals, said apparatuscomprising:a supporting device for supporting one of the tape sectionsonly near the single edge where the testing connection terminals arelocated; a contactor device mounted on said supporting device for makingan electrical connection to each of the testing connection terminals ofthe tape section; and a tester connected to said contactor device fortesting the semiconductor devices mounted on the tape section wherebythe plurality of semiconductor devices mounted on the tape section canbe tested individually.
 4. A semiconductor device test apparatus asclaimed in claim 3 wherein said supporting device comprises apositioning pin for engaging one of a plurality of perforations in thetape section for positioning the tape section.
 5. A semiconductor devicetest apparatus for testing a semiconductor device mounted on a tapecarrier, the tape carrier comprising an elongated electricallyinsulating tape divided into a plurality of separable tape sections,each tape section having a plurality of outer edges, a plurality ofsemiconductor device mounting portions, each mounting portion having aplurality of leads for electrical connection to a semiconductor chipmounted at the respective mounting portion, a plurality of testingconnection terminals disposed along a single one of the outer edges ofthe tape section, and a plurality of testing wires directly connectingthe leads to respective testing connection terminals, said apparatuscomprising:a constant temperature tank; a supporting device forsupporting one of the tape sections only near the single edge where thetesting connection terminals are located; a contactor device mounted onsaid supporting device for making an electrical connection to each ofthe testing connection terminals of the tape section; and a testerconnected to said contactor device for burn-in testing the semiconductordevices mounted on the tape section whereby the plurality ofsemiconductor devices mounted on the tape section can be testedindividually.
 6. A semiconductor device test apparatus as claimed inclaim 5, wherein said supporting device comprises a positioning pin forengaging one of a plurality of perforations in the tape section forpositioning the tape section.